Doctors have been challenged to come up with innovations to tackle some of the challenges that the population’s health face.

A £220m (€250m; $330) pot will be available to England’s 10 strategic health authorities to encourage innovation within the NHS. Each authority will receive £2m this year and £5m in each of the following four years as dedicated regional innovation funds.

England’s strategic health authorities have a legal duty to promote innovation and support the spread of innovative technologies and solutions throughout the health services. This is part of new measures set out in the health bill currently before parliament.

Strategic health authorities will …